Student arrested in connection with arson at Ellender High School

Police arrested an Ellender High School student on one count of simple arson after a fire caused minor to moderate damage inside of a restroom.

Police said Crystal Lagarde, 17, lit a paper towel dispenser on fire in a girls' bathroom Monday. The fire extinguished itself prior to the administration arriving, but the damage had already been caused, said Houma Police Lt. Dana Tymone Coleman.

Police said surveillance video immediately identified Lagarde as the person who lit the fire. She failed to report to school the next day, but a school resource officer took Lagarde into custody on Wednesday when she arrived at school.

According to police, when asked why she lit the dispenser on fire, she said, "I was just being stupid."

Police transported Lagarde to the Terrebonne Parish Criminal Justice Complex to be booked.